BACKGROUND
[0001] Unless otherwise indicated herein, the description in this section is not prior art
to the claims in this application and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion
in this section.
[0002] Many of typical image forming apparatuses store data in a Hard Disk Drive (an HDD)
as a non-volatile storage device.
[0003] In this case, when the HDD becomes inoperative, this may cause the image forming
apparatus to become unusable.
[0004] In this respect, there is proposed a following hard disk drive device. The hard disk
drive device gives an instruction of writing or reading to an HDD and, based on its
response time, predicts in advance whether or not the HDD is inoperative to separately
operate before the HDD becomes inoperative.
[0005] US 2006/080330 A1 relates to an image processing apparatus. In more detail, when a failure is generated
in an HDD in a digital multifunction peripheral and various functions provided by
a first application and stored in the HDD cannot be provided, the digital multifunction
peripheral makes sole use of a second application stored in an ROM in advance to provide
functions, which can be executed without using the HDD.
[0006] US 2009/106584 A1 relates to a storage apparatus and method for controlling the same. The invention
provides a storage apparatus that can shorten the time for recovery from a fault in
a storage device. In such a storage apparatus provided with one or more storage devices
and a method for controlling the storage apparatus, when a fault occurs in the storage
device, it is judged whether or not the fault is a predetermined specific fault, and
only the storage device is then rebooted if the fault is the predetermined specific
fault.
SUMMARY
[0007] The invention is defined by the appended claims.
[0008] These as well as other aspects, advantages, and alternatives will become apparent
to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the following detailed description
with reference where appropriate to the accompanying drawings. Further, it should
be understood that the description provided in this summary section and elsewhere
in this document is intended to illustrate the claimed subject matter by way of example
and not by way of limitation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009]
FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to one
embodiment of the disclosure;
FIG. 2A illustrates a process executed by an HDD confirming unit when a system is
booted (including a reboot);
FIG. 2B illustrates a process executed by the HDD confirming unit when failure information
on an HDD is obtained during the system boot; and
FIG. 3 illustrates a process executed by a job execution unit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0010] Example apparatuses are described herein. Other example embodiments or features may
further be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the scope
of the subject matter presented herein. In the following detailed description, reference
is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.
[0011] The example embodiments described herein are not meant to be limiting. It will be
readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described
herein, and illustrated in the drawings, can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated,
and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly
contemplated herein.
[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to one
embodiment of the disclosure. The image forming apparatus 1 includes a control unit
2 and a storage unit 3.
[0013] The control unit 2 includes an HDD confirming unit 21, a job execution unit 22, and
a system control unit 23. The image forming apparatus 1 causes the control unit 2
and the storage unit 3 to operate to constitute a system to execute functions (for
example, copying, scanning, and printing) of the image forming apparatus 1.
[0014] The control unit 2 is, for example, a processor, such as a Central Processing Unit
(CPU), and an execution of a program causes the control unit 2 to operate as the HDD
confirming unit 21, the job execution unit 22, and the system control unit 23.
[0015] System data including the program executed by the control unit 2 is stored in an
SSD (Solid State Drive) 32. The SSD 32 is a non-transitory computer-readable recording
medium. The system data is read from the SSD 32 to be loaded, when a system is booted
(the image forming apparatus 1 is turned on).
[0016] The HDD confirming unit 21 determines whether or not the HDD 31 is in an inoperative
state after a failure of an HDD 31 is notified. The detail will be described later.
[0017] The job execution unit 22 executes printing, scanning, and other jobs of the image
forming apparatus 1. For the execution of the jobs, when the job execution unit 22
stores data (user data) created by a user for the job, for example, an image read
from a scanner for copying, and the job execution unit 22 stores the data in the HDD
31 insofar as the HDD 31 is usable.
[0018] The system control unit 23 separates the HDD 31 from the system. In other words,
the system control unit 23 disables the HDD 31. In addition, the system control unit
23 sets an operation mode of the image forming apparatus 1 to a normal mode or a restriction
mode. The normal mode is a mode, where the job is executed after the user data is
stored in the HDD 31. The restriction mode is a mode, where the job is executed in
a state where the HDD 31 is separated from the system. An initial value is set to
the normal mode.
[0019] The storage unit 3 includes the HDD 31, the SSD 32, and a memory (a volatile storage
device) 33.
[0020] The HDD 31 has a storage region that stores the user data (used for the job) created
by the user.
[0021] The SSD 32 has a storage region that stores the system data. The SSD 32 is a non-volatile
semiconductor storage device, such as a flash (registered trademark) memory, and has
a limitation on the number of writings.
[0022] The memory 33 is a volatile semiconductor storage device, such as a Random Access
Memory (RAM).
[0023] The following describes a procedure of determining that the HDD 31 is inoperative.
[0024] FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate processes of the HDD confirming unit 21. The HDD confirming
unit 21 operates, when the system is booted (including a reboot), and when failure
information on the HDD 31 is obtained while the system is booted or while the system
is operating after the booting. When the HDD 31 does not respond in the process executed
by the control unit 2, the failure information on the HDD 31 is obtained. This causes
the control unit 2 to initiate the HDD confirming unit 21.
[0025] The HDD confirming unit 21 uses two flags: a flag HF (a failure history flag: a flag
indicating existence of a failure history); and a flag CF (a cut-off flag: a flag
indicating necessity for separating the HDD 31 from the system). When the failure
history flag HF indicates "ON", the failure history flag HF means the existence of
the failure history of the HDD 31. When the failure history flag HF indicates "OFF",
the failure history flag HF means absence of the failure history of the HDD 31. When
the cut-off flag CF indicates "ON", the cut-off flag CF means the necessity for separating
the HDD 31 from the system. When the cut-off flag CF indicates "OFF", the cut-off
flag CF means unnecessity of separating the HDD 31 from the system.
[0026] First, the following describes a process executed when the system is booted (including
the reboot).
[0027] As illustrated in FIG. 2A, when the system is rebooted (Step 21a), the HDD confirming
unit 21 firstly confirms whether or not the failure history flag HF indicates "ON"
(Step 21b). The failure history flag HF indicating "OFF" (No at Step 21b) means the
absence of the failure history of the HDD 31. This causes the HDD confirming unit
21 to terminate the process without executing anything, which leads to the continuance
of the normal mode.
[0028] When the failure history flag HF indicates "ON" (Yes at Step 21b), the HDD confirming
unit 21 branches the process based on a value of the cut-off flag CF (Step 21c). When
the cut-off flag CF indicates "OFF" (No at Step 21c), this causes the HDD confirming
unit 21 to set the cut-off flag CF to "ON" (Step 21e). At this time, the failure history
flag HF indicates "ON", which means the existence of the failure history of the HDD
31 at a previous boot. This causes the HDD 31 to be separated from the system, when
the failure of the HDD 31 is detected later. However, the operation mode of the image
forming apparatus 1 is still in the normal mode.
[0029] When the cut-off flag CF indicates "ON" (Yes at Step 21c), the HDD confirming unit
21 sets both the failure history flag HF and the cut-off flag CF to "OFF" (Step 21d).
The cut-off flag CF indicated "ON" until the previous boot. Nevertheless, the system
has been rebooted without separating the HDD 31 from the system. This means that the
failure of the HDD 31 was not detected at the previous boot at which the system operated
with the cut-off flag CF indicating "ON". That is, this means that a failure of the
HDD 31 detected at the last but one boot has been repaired at the previous boot. The
failure is repaired, which causes a normal operation with both the failure history
flag HF and the cut-off flag CF that are set to "OFF". That is, the normal mode still
continues. As described above, the HDD confirming unit 21 does not determine an inoperative
state, when a failure of the HDD 31 has been detected only once. The HDD confirming
unit 21 determines the inoperative state, when the failure of the HDD 31 is detected
again after the system is booted in a state, where the failure of the HDD 31 has been
detected.
[0030] It is likely that the failure at the last but one boot was caused by a file system
error and has been repaired at the previous boot.
[0031] Next, the following describes a process executed, when the failure of the HDD 31
is detected.
[0032] As illustrated in FIG. 2B, when the failure information on the HDD 31 is obtained
(Step 21f), the HDD confirming unit 21 branches the process based on the value of
the cut-off flag CF (Step 21g). When the cut-off flag CF indicates "ON" (Yes at Step
21g), the HDD confirming unit 21 determines that the HDD 31 is inoperative (Step 21h).
At this time, the system control unit 23 separates the HDD 31 from the system to set
the operation mode of the image forming apparatus 1 to the restriction mode. After
the system control unit 23 separates the HDD 31, the HDD confirming unit 21 terminates
the process. After Step 21h, the HDD confirming unit 21 may set "HF = OFF" and "CF
= OFF" so as to reset both the failure history flag HF and the cut-off flag CF when
the already-separated HDD 31 is exchanged.
[0033] The system control unit 23 may reboot the system after the system control unit 23
separates the HDD 31. In this case, the HDD confirming unit 21 may not execute the
process illustrated in FIG. 2A.
[0034] When the cut-off flag CF indicates "OFF" (No at Step 21g), the HDD confirming unit
21 sets the failure history flag HF to "ON" (Step 21i). That is, the HDD confirming
unit 21 causes the system control unit 23 to separate the HDD 31 from the system,
when the failure information on the HDD 31 is obtained again also after the system
is rebooted in the future. Then, the system control unit 23 reboots the system (Step
21j). At this time, after the execution of the process illustrated in FIG. 2A, the
normal mode still continues.
[0035] The above-described process causes the HDD 31 to be separated from the system when
the failure occurs both before and after the system is rebooted. When the system control
unit 23 monitors the value of the cut-off flag CF to find "CF = ON", the system control
unit 23 separates the HDD 31 from the system.
[0036] The following describes a process executed by the job execution unit 22.
[0037] FIG. 3 illustrates the process executed by the job execution unit 22. When the job
execution unit 22 receives a job request (Step 22a), the job execution unit 22 attempts
to execute the job.
[0038] The job execution unit 22 checks whether or not the HDD confirming unit 21 determines
that the HDD 31 is inoperative (Step 22b). When the HDD confirming unit 21 does not
determine that the HDD 31 is inoperative, the job execution unit 22 stores the user
data in the HDD 31 to execute the job (Step 22d) unless the HDD 31 has the failure
(Step 22c). At this time, the image forming apparatus 1 operates in the normal mode.
[0039] When the failure of the HDD 31 is detected, the HDD 31 is unusable. This causes the
job execution unit 22 to execute a process similar to the process executed, when the
HDD confirming unit 21 determines that the HDD 31 is inoperative (Step 22c). While
the HDD confirming unit 21 can determine the failure of the HDD 31 based on the two
flags HF and CF, the failure may be detected through the execution of the job for
the first time. Thus, the HDD confirming unit 21 may determine the existence of the
failure by performing the writing in the HDD 31.
[0040] The following describes a process executed, when the HDD confirming unit 21 determines
that the HDD 31 is inoperative, that is, when the system control unit 23 separates
the HDD 31 from the system. In this case, the image forming apparatus 1 operates in
the restriction mode.
[0041] The job execution unit 22 checks a size UD of the user data. After that, the job
execution unit 22 checks a free space M of the memory 33. When the relation between
the size UD and the free space M is "UD ≤ M" (Step 22e), the job execution unit 22
stores the user data in the memory 33 to execute the job (Step 22f). The reason for
checking the free space of the memory 33 is that the free space varies based on another
job when a plurality of jobs are simultaneously executed. However, the job execution
unit 22 executes the jobs one by one, and may employ a value of M having the largest
value for all the jobs to execute many jobs in a state where the HDD 31 is separated.
[0042] When the relation between the size UD and the free space M is "UD > M", the job execution
unit 22 compares an acceptable-writing-data amount AS of the SSD 32 with the size
UD of the user data (Step 22g). After the comparison, when the relation between the
size UD and the acceptable-writing-data amount AS is "UD ≤ AS", the job execution
unit 22 stores the user data in the SSD 32 to execute the job (Step 22h). Here, "AS"
is the largest-writing-data amount per one time and is determined to ensure the maintained
lifespan of the SSD 32. However, since the SSD 32 has the limitation on the number
of writings, the job execution unit 22 may not execute Steps 22g and 22h to maintain
the lifespan of the SSD 32.
[0043] When the user data cannot be stored in neither the memory 33 nor the SSD 32, the
job execution unit 22 does not execute the job (Step 22i).
[0044] While, as described above in detail, the image forming apparatus 1 of the embodiment
includes the only one HDD 31, the image forming apparatus 1 uses the system data stored
in the SSD 32, which does not require another HDD instead of the separated HDD. Thus,
the image forming apparatus 1 operates with the HDD 31 automatically separated from
the system, when the HDD 31 is inoperative. This ensures the requirement for, for
example, cost reduction and downsizing.
[0045] For example, assume that the jobs are executed one by one in the restriction mode,
and the free space M of the memory 33 is larger than a space for image data of one
paper sheet. This ensures reliable executions of basic functions, such as copying
and scanning, even if the system control unit 23 separates the HDD 31 from the system.
[0046] The disclosure provides the image forming apparatus including the only one HDD. The
image forming apparatus is operable by separating the HDD while the HDD is inoperative.
The disclosure may be employed by many image-forming-apparatus manufacturers and image-forming-apparatus
users.
1. An image forming apparatus (1), comprising:
- an HDD (31) that is adapted to store user data created by a user;
- an HDD confirming unit (21) that is adapted to determine whether or not the HDD
(31) is in an inoperative state;
- a system control unit (23) that is adapted to separate the HDD (31) from the image
forming apparatus (1) to set the image forming apparatus (1) to a restriction mode,
when the HDD (31) is in the inoperative state; and
- a non-volatile semiconductor storage device (32) that is adapted to store system
data used for an operation of the system control unit (23),
wherein the HDD confirming unit (21) is adapted to:
- obtain failure information on the HDD (31) if the HDD (31) does not respond;
characterized in that the HDD confirming unit (21) is further adapted to:
- determine that the HDD (31) is in an inoperative state if a cut-off flag indicating
necessity for separating the HDD (31) from a system to execute functions of the image
forming apparatus (1) indicates an ON state when obtaining the failure information;
- set a failure history flag indicating existence of a failure history to the ON state
if the cut-off flag indicates an OFF state when obtaining the failure information;
- set the cut-off flag to the ON state if the failure history flag has been set to
the ON state and the cut-off flag has been set to the OFF state when the system is
booted; and
- set the failure history flag and the cut-off flag to the OFF state if the failure
history flag and the cut-off flag have been set to the ON state when the system is
booted.
2. The image forming apparatus (1) according to claim 1, further comprising
- a job execution unit (22) that is adapted to execute a job,
wherein the job execution unit (22) is adapted to execute the job, where user data
is storable in the non-volatile semiconductor storage device (32) in the restriction
mode.
3. The image forming apparatus (1) according to claim 1, further comprising:
- a job execution unit (22) that is adapted to execute a job; and
- a volatile storage device (33),
wherein the job execution unit (22) is adapted to execute the job, where user data
is storable in the volatile storage device (33) in the restriction mode.
4. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing an image forming program
to control a computer of an image forming apparatus (1) including an HDD (31) and
a non-volatile semiconductor storage device (32), the HDD (31) storing user data created
by a user, the non-volatile semiconductor storage device (32) storing system data
used for an operation of the computer, the image forming program causing the computer
to operate as:
- an HDD confirming unit (21) that is adapted to determine whether or not the HDD
(31) is in an inoperative state; and
- a system control unit (23) that is adapted to separate the HDD (31) from the computer
to set the image forming apparatus (1) to a restriction mode, when the HDD (31) is
in the inoperative state, wherein the HDD confirming unit (21) is adapted to:
- obtain failure information on the HDD (31) if the HDD (31) does not respond;
characterized in that the HDD confirming unit(21) is further adapted to:
- determine that the HDD (31) is in an inoperative state if a cut-off flag indicating
necessity for separating the HDD (31) from a system to execute functions of the image
forming apparatus (1) indicates an ON state when obtaining the failure information;
- set a failure history flag indicating existence of a failure history to the ON state
if the cut-off flag indicates an OFF state when obtaining the failure information;
- set the cut-off flag to the ON state if the failure history flag has been set to
the ON state and the cut-off flag has been set to the OFF state when the system is
booted; and
- set the failure history flag and the cut-off flag to the OFF state if the failure
history flag and the cut-off flag have been set to the ON state when the system is
booted.
1. Bilderzeugungsgerät (1), welches Folgendes aufweist:
- eine Festplatte (31), welche dazu geeignet ist, von einem Nutzer erstellte Nutzerdaten
zu speichern;
- eine Festplatten-Bestätigungseinheit (21), welche dazu geeignet ist, zu ermitteln,
ob die Festplatte (31) in einem Ruhezustand ist oder nicht;
- eine Systemsteuereinheit (23), welche dazu geeignet ist, die Festplatte (31) vom
Bilderzeu-gungsgerät (1) zu trennen, um das Bilderzeugungsgerät (1) in einen eingeschränkten
Modus zu versetzen, wenn die Festplatte (31) im Ruhezustand ist; und
- ein nicht-flüchtiges Halbleiter-Speichergerät (32), welches dazu geeignet ist, für
einen Be-trieb der System-Steuereinheit (23) genutzte Systemdaten zu speichern,
wobei die Festplatten-Bestätigungseinheit (21) dazu geeignet ist:
- Fehlerinformationen über die Festplatte (31) zu erhalten, wenn die Festplatte (31)
nicht reagiert;
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Festplatten-Bestätigungseinheit (21) darüber hinaus dazu geeignet ist:
- zu ermitteln, dass sich die Festplatte HDD (31) in einem Ruhezustand befindet, wenn
ein Cut-Off-Fähnchen, das zur Ausführung von Funktionen des Bilderzeugungsgeräts (1)
die Notwendigkeit der Trennung der Festplatte (31) von einem System anzeigt, beim
Erhalt der Fehlerinformationen einen EIN-Zustand anzeigt;
- ein Fehlerhistorien-Fähnchen zu setzen, welches das Vorhandensein einer Fehlerhistorie
zum EIN-Zustand anzeigt, wenn das Cut-Off-Fähnchen beim Erhalt der Fehlerinformationen
einen AUS-Zustand anzeigt;
- das Cut-Off-Fähnchen auf den EIN-Zustand zu setzen, wenn das Fehlerhistorien-Fähnchen
beim Booten des Systems auf den EIN-Zustand und das Cut-Off-Fähnchen auf den AUS-Zustand
gesetzt wurde; und
- das Fehlerhistorien-Fähnchen und das Cut-Off-Fähnchen auf den AUS-Zustand zu setzen,
wenn das Fehlerhistorien-Fähnchen und das Cut-Off-Fähnchen beim Booten des Systems
auf den EIN-Zustand gesetzt wurden.
2. Bilderzeugungsgerät (1) gemäß Anspruch 1, welches darüber hinaus Folgendes aufweist:
- eine Job-Ausführungseinheit (22), welche zur Ausführung eines Jobs geeignet ist,
wobei die Job-Ausführungseinheit (22) dazu geeignet ist, den Job auszuführen, wobei
Nutzerdaten im eingeschränkten Modus im nicht-flüchtigen Halbleiter-Speichergerät
(32) speicherbar sind.
3. Bilderzeugungsgerät (1) gemäß Anspruch 1, welches darüber hinaus Folgendes aufweist:
- eine Job-Ausführungseinheit (22), welche dazu geeignet ist, einen Job auszuführen;
und
- ein flüchtiges Speichergerät (33)
wobei die Job-Ausführungseinheit (22) dazu geeignet ist, den Job auszuführen, wobei
Nut-zerdaten im eingeschränkten Modus im flüchtigen Speichergerät (33) speicherbar
sind.
4. Ein nicht-transitorisches computerlesbares Aufzeichnungsmedium, welches ein Bilderzeu-gungsprogramm
speichert, um einen Computer eines Bilderzeugungsgeräts (1) einschließlich einer Festplatte
(31) und eines nicht-flüchtigen Halbleiter-Speichergeräts (32) zu steuern, wobei die
Festplatte (31) von einem Nutzer erzeugte Nutzerdaten speichert, das nicht-flüchtige
Halbleiter-Speichergerät (32) die zu einem Betrieb des Computers verwendeten Nutzerdaten
speichert, und das Bilderzeugungsprogramm den Computer zum Betrieb als:
- Festplatten-Bestätigungseinheit (21) veranlasst, welche dazu geeignet ist, zu ermitteln,
ob die Festplatte (31) ein einem Ruhezustand ist oder nicht; und
- System-Steuereinheit (23) veranlasst, welche dazu geeignet ist, die Festplatte (31)
vom Computer zu trennen, um das Bilderzeugungsgerät (1) in einen eingeschränkten Modus
zu versetzen, wenn die Festplatte (31) in einem Ruhezustand ist,
wobei die Festplatten-Bestätigungseinheit (21) dazu geeignet ist:
- Fehlerinformationen über die Festplatte (31) zu erhalten, wenn die Festplatte (31)
nicht reagiert;
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Festplatten-Bestätigungseinheit (21) darüber hinaus dazu geeignet ist:
- zu ermitteln, dass die Festplatte (31) in einem Ruhezustand ist, wenn ein Cut-Off-Fähnchen,
das zur Ausführung von Funktionen des Bilderzeugungsgeräts (1) die Notwendigkeit der
Trennung der Festplatte (31) von einem System anzeigt, beim Erhalt der Fehlerinformationen
einen EIN-Zustand anzeigt;
- ein Fehlerhistorien-Fähnchen zu setzen, welches das Vorhandensein einer Fehlerhistorie
zum EIN-Zustand anzeigt, wenn das Cut-Off-Fähnchen beim Erhalt der Fehlerinformationen
einen AUS-Zustand anzeigt;
- das Cut-Off-Fähnchen auf den EIN-Zustand zu setzen, wenn das Fehlerhistorien-Fähnchen
beim Booten des Systems auf den EIN-Zustand und das Cut-Off-Fähnchen auf den AUS-Zustand
gesetzt wurde.;
- das Fehlerhistorien-Fähnchen und das Cut-Off-Fähnchen auf den AUS-Zustand zu setzen,
wenn das Fehlerhistorien-Fähnchen und das Cut-Off-Fähnchen beim Booten des Systems
auf den EIN-Zustand gesetzt wurden.
1. Appareil de formation d'image (1), comprenant :
- un disque dur (HDD) (31) qui est adapté pour stocker des données utilisateur créées
par un utilisateur ;
- une unité de confirmation de HDD (21) qui est adaptée pour déterminer si le HDD
(31) est ou non dans un état inactif ;
- une unité de commande système (23) qui est adaptée pour séparer le HDD (31) vis-à-vis
de l'appareil de formation d'image (1) pour mettre l'appareil de formation d'image
(1) dans un mode de restriction, quand le HDD (31) et dans l'état inactif ; et
- un dispositif de stockage à semi-conducteur non volatile (32) qui est adapté pour
stocker des données système utilisées pour un fonctionnement de l'unité de commande
système (23),
dans lequel l'unité de confirmation de HDD (21) est adaptée pour :
- obtenir une information de défaut sur le HDD (31) si le HDD (31) ne répond pas ;
caractérisé en ce que l'unité de confirmation de HDD (21) est en outre adaptée pour :
- déterminer que le HDD (31) est dans un état inactif si un drapeau de coupure indiquant
une nécessité de séparer le HDD (31) vis-à-vis d'un système pour exécuter des fonctions
de l'appareil de formation d'image (1) indique un état "ON" lors de l'obtention de
l'information de défaut ;
- placer un drapeau historique de défaut indiquant l'existence d'un historique de
défaut à l'état ON si le drapeau de coupure indique un état "OFF" lors de l'obtention
de l'information de défaut ;
- placer le drapeau de coupure à l'état ON si le drapeau historique de défaut a été
placé à l'état ON et que le drapeau de coupure a été placé à l'état OFF lorsque le
système est lancé ; et
- placer le drapeau historique de défaut et le drapeau de coupure à l'état OFF si
le drapeau historique de défaut et le drapeau de coupure ont été placés à l'état ON
quand le système est lancé.
2. Appareil de formation d'image (1) selon la revendication 1, comprenant en outre :
- une unité d'exécution de tâche (22) qui est adaptée pour exécuter une tâche,
dans lequel l'unité d'exécution de tâche (22) est adaptée pour exécuter la tâche lorsque
les données utilisateur peuvent être stockées dans le dispositif de stockage à semi-conducteur
non volatile (32) dans le mode de restriction.
3. Appareil de formation d'image (1) selon la revendication 1, comprenant en outre :
- une unité d'exécution de tâche (22) qui est adaptée pour exécuter une tâche ; et
- un dispositif de stockage volatile (33),
dans lequel l'unité d'exécution de tâche (22) est adaptée pour exécuter la tâche lorsque
les données utilisateur peuvent être stockées dans le dispositif de stockage volatile
(33) dans le mode de restriction.
4. Support d'enregistrement non transitoire lisible à l'ordinateur qui stocke un programme
de formation d'image pour commander un ordinateur d'un appareil de formation d'image
(1) incluant un HDD (31) et un dispositif de stockage à semi-conducteur non volatile
(32), le HDD (31) stockant des données utilisateur créées par un utilisateur, le dispositif
de stockage à semi-conducteur non volatile (32) stockant des données système utilisées
pour un fonctionnement de l'ordinateur, le programme de formation d'image amenant
l'ordinateur à fonctionner comme :
- une unité de confirmation de HDD (21) qui est adaptée pour déterminer si le HDD
(31) est ou non dans un état inactif ; et
- une unité de commande système (23) qui est adaptée pour séparer le HDD (31) par
rapport à l'ordinateur pour placer l'appareil de formation d'image (1) dans un mode
de restriction, quand le HDD (31) est dans l'état inactif,
dans lequel l'unité de confirmation de HDD (21) est adaptée pour :
- obtenir une information de défaut sur le HDD (31) si le HDD (31) ne répond pas ;
caractérisé en ce que l'unité de confirmation de HDD (21) est en outre adaptée pour :
- déterminer que le HDD (31) est dans un état inactif si un drapeau de coupure indiquant
une nécessité pour séparer le HDD (31) vis-à-vis d'un système pour exécuter des fonctions
de l'appareil de formation d'image (1) indique un état ON lorsqu'elle obtient l'information
de défaut ;
- placer un drapeau historique de défaut indiquant l'existence d'un historique de
défaut à l'état ON si le drapeau de coupure indique un état OFF lorsqu'elle obtient
l'information de défaut ;
- placer le drapeau de coupure à l'état ON si le drapeau historique de défaut a été
placé à l'état ON et que le drapeau de coupure a été placé à l'état OFF quand le système
est lancé ; et
- placer le drapeau historique de défaut et le drapeau de coupure à l'état OFF si
le drapeau historique de défaut et le drapeau de coupure ont été placés à l'état ON
quand le système est lancé.